History

Instead of fighting off the Andals, Garth IX brought a septon to his court and made him part of his councils. The first sept at Highgarden was built during Garth's reign, although he continued to worship the old gods. He took Andals into his service as household knights and retainers, and bequeathed lands and wives and lordships for the more powerful of the Andal kings and other Andal adventurers descending on the Reach in exchange for pledges of fealty.[1] He also sought after Andal craftsmen, especially blacksmiths and stonemasons, to settle throughout the Reach, supplying him and his bannermen with iron instead of bronze and strengthening their castles and holdfasts with Andal masonry.[1]

He is known for having stated: "When a wolf descends upon your flocks, all you gain by killing him is a short respite, for other wolves will come. If instead you feed the wolf and tame him and turn his pups into your guard dogs, they will protect the flock when the pack comes ravening."[1]